We performed a comparison between Fortinet FortiGate-VM and Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls based on our users’ reviews in five categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.
Features: Fortinet FortiGate-VM is highly regarded for its robust security features, including geofencing, firewalling, IPS, antivirus, and a user-friendly interface. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls excel in embedded machine learning, real-time attack prevention, and the ability to accurately identify applications.
Fortinet FortiGate-VM needs enhancements in key activation, log management, cloud management, MFA offerings, web filter options, application inspection, GUI features, bandwidth issues, VPN connectivity, pricing, performance, and documentation. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls require improvements in SD-WAN customization, best practices, machine learning capabilities, troubleshooting tools,next-generation capabilities, rule creation, monitoring interface, bug fixing, configuration support, IoT security, traffic shaping, machine learning for virus prevention, security functions, usability, training programs, SSL inspection, external dynamic list feature, internet filtering, API integration, and bug fixing.
Service and Support: Some customers have praised the support team of Fortinet FortiGate-VM for their quick response times and knowledge. However, other customers have mentioned slow response times and difficulties in finding information quickly. Customer service for Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls has received mixed reviews. Some customers have praised the knowledgeable support team and timely issue resolution. However, others have mentioned difficulties in reaching the support team and issues with the support ticketing system.
Ease of Deployment: The setup process for Fortinet FortiGate-VM is generally straightforward and easy, while Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is not complex and easy. Prior knowledge can simplify Fortinet's setup, whereas Palo Alto may require proper planning.
Pricing: Fortinet offers flexible pricing options with no extra expenses, while Palo Alto is considered pricier. Nevertheless, Palo Alto is known for its reliability and high performance as a firewall solution.
ROI: Fortinet FortiGate-VM offers enhanced stability and heightened security. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls provide greater visibility, reporting capabilities, and streamlined management.
Comparison Results: Fortinet FortiGate-VM is the preferred solution as it is highly recommended due to its easy setup, robust security features, cost-effectiveness, and satisfactory ROI. Users find it user-friendly, easy to deploy, and with an intuitive interface.
"The initial setup of Fortinet FortiGate was straightforward."
"The most important feature, normally for small business customers, is link load balancing."
"The technical support is great."
"Fortinet FortiGate is a stable solution."
"The most important features with FortiGate are the web filter and application controls. We can control our internet usage and use the web filter for application purposes."
"Overall security features and performance routing is good."
"The main benefit is the grouping of our security monitoring."
"It is a safe product."
"The policies are very valuable. They allow me to secure and manage future traffic effectively."
"It provides an ease of management and configuration as well."
"In terms of administration, it's perfect."
"It's a very simple solution to manage."
"We like FortiGate-VM's IPS features and its ability to create multiple virtual firewalls."
"The platform has a good user interface."
"It offers the same robust features and functionality in virtual, on-premise, and traditional data center environments."
"The most valuable features are locking applications from in and out of my test network and testing malware on different devices. I use malware detection, antivirus, and basic firewall policies to check for different types of security breaches. The UI is really nice and easy to use."
"Ability to log each and every application."
"It's quite nice. It's very user-friendly, powerful, and there are barely any bugs."
"The stability of the product has been good over the years."
"The most valuable features include the different security zones and the ability to identify applications not only by port numbers but by the applications themselves... And with the single-pass architecture, it provides a good trade-off between security and network performance. It provides good security and good network throughput."
"The ease of use and the ease of configuration of our policies are the most valuable features."
"The most valuable features are web filtering and application filtering."
"It has the typical features of a next-generation firewall. It can do application control, antivirus, content filtering, etc."
"With our High availability pair, we have had no downtime for several years, since it was first put it in production."
"I would like some automated custom reporting."
"The web-cache feature which was previously on the FortiGate device, but was deleted with the recent upgrade should be returned. It was a very valuable feature for us."
"In the next release, maybe the documentation on how to use this solution could be improved."
"The solution could have licensing fees reduced in the future."
"The UI could be improved."
"It should come integrated or have its own type of network monitor tool in a module. There should just be one package, and you are good to go."
"Fortinet FortiGate could improve if it had a cloud-managed solution."
"Due to its higher cost, Fortinet FortiGate can lead to increased operational expenses."
"The price is sometimes very expensive."
"The log settings and filters could use some improvement."
"Improvements are needed for the responsive UI and JIT traffic reporting."
"We'd like to have more customization and easier customization of policies."
"Right now, we have two data centers that are a thousand kilometers apart. It would be nice to be able to string them together."
"The graphical user interface should be enhanced."
"Now they do have the ability to pop up a command line, which is nice, however, the fact that you can't do everything within the GUI is probably a problem."
"SD-WAN could be enhanced to provide a clear division between control and data planes, utilizing controllers to manage tasks within the network."
"I would like to see more in terms of reporting tools and the threat analysis capabilities."
"Support should be improved, wait times can be long."
"I would like to see it provide us with intelligent information from the data that it captures, within the same cost."
"The performance of the Panorama interface needs to be improved. It tends to be very sluggish at times."
"Need improvement with their logs, especially the command line interface."
"Generating reports is not so easy."
"In terms of what could be improved, comparatively the price is very high. That would be the one thing."
"The user interface is probably not as slick as it could be."
More Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls Pricing and Cost Advice →
Fortinet FortiGate-VM is ranked 9th in Firewalls with 113 reviews while Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is ranked 6th in Firewalls with 162 reviews. Fortinet FortiGate-VM is rated 8.4, while Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is rated 8.6. The top reviewer of Fortinet FortiGate-VM writes "An easy-to-manage and configure tool that provides ample documentation to help with the setup phase". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls writes "We get reports back from WildFire on a minute-by-minute basis". Fortinet FortiGate-VM is most compared with Azure Firewall, Palo Alto Networks VM-Series, Fortinet FortiOS, OPNsense and Cisco Secure Firewall, whereas Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is most compared with Check Point NGFW, Azure Firewall, Meraki MX, Sophos XG and Netgate pfSense. See our Fortinet FortiGate-VM vs. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls report.
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In the best tradition of these questions, Feature-wise both are quite similar, but each has things it's better at, it kind of depends what you value most.
PA is good at app control, web filtering and such like, they have always been top of the pile there. The GUI is very good, and their product is very user-focused.
Fortinet is good for scalability and predictable high throughput (ASICs in the hardware), and useful things like authentication flexibility, CLI config (if you have any networking/Cisco people, they always seem to prefer CLI over GUI) and have better OT features, maybe relevant to your manufacturing use?
Fortinet seem to have a broader integration offering with their security fabric than PA do, plus they can do Fortinet-based wifi, switching, etc. Depends if you are prepared to go all-in with a single vendor.
Hi,
Both FT and PA have compelling features for large Enterprises. I would like to add a few good points about Fortinetwhich might be helpful ( from my 13 years of engagement with them as Distributor and Partner)
Fortinet:
Have higher throughput; which comes with competitive rates
Wide range of models to select to meet your requirement, without spending heavliy
Outstanding customer support and very active customer care team
Easly available skilled resources from the channel for deployment and post-implementation support
Regards
Abhilash
Hello. The question is what you are going to have as a result of application